This invention relates to a frame and body construction for a small snowmobile and more particularly to a light weight frame and body construction that facilitates servicing and wherein certain running components of the engine are protected.
There is a need for a light weight highly maneuverable snowmobile that can accommodate primarily a single rider. Such a snowmobile should be highly maneuverable relatively robust in construction but should, at the same time, offer ease of servicing. Many conventional snowmobiles are formed with a combined body frame structure that is made up of a plurality of steel stampings that are welded together. Such arrangements obviously require substantial weight and the necessity of using several different stampings and welding them together adds to the cost of the overall assembly. Furthermore, such welded up constructions made it difficult to position the driving components of the snowmobile in such a way that the snowmobile can be conveniently serviced.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved light weight frame and body construction for a small snowmobile.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a body frame relationship for a small snowmobile wherein the body may be easily and quickly lifted off of the frame for servicing.
One way in which the body and frame can be united for such quick disassembly is to employ a body that has a generally inverted cup shape so that it can be placed on the frame by lowering it into place and then locking it there. With such an arrangement, the entire underside of the snowmobile will be generally exposed. This means that the engine is exposed to the elements over which the snowmobile is operating. Because of this exposure, there can be certain running difficulties. For example, the flow of cold air around the induction system of the engine can cause icing and other problems.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved light weight snowmobile construction wherein certain running components of the engine are protected but wherein disassembly of the body from the snowmobile is facilitated.